{"id":8546,"date":"2021-01-29T12:21:25","date_gmt":"2021-01-29T17:21:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/?p=8546"},"modified":"2021-01-29T12:21:27","modified_gmt":"2021-01-29T17:21:27","slug":"victory-church-pastors-break-ranks-and-possibly-indirectly-supports-funded-terrorists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/2021\/01\/29\/victory-church-pastors-break-ranks-and-possibly-indirectly-supports-funded-terrorists\/","title":{"rendered":"Victory Church Pastors break ranks and possibly indirectly supports funded terrorists"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Editorial \u2013 Lakeland Gazette<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2014 The Assemblies of God issued a statement encouraging its churches and individual members to gradually shift support away from the <strong>U.S. branch of World Vision<\/strong> towards Assemblies of God World Missions, and other Pentecostal and Evangelical charities &#8220;that maintain biblical standards of sexual morality.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/assemblies-of-god-logo.png?w=1110&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8547\"   srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/assemblies-of-god-logo.png?w=992&amp;ssl=1 992w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/assemblies-of-god-logo.png?resize=300%2C220&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/assemblies-of-god-logo.png?resize=768%2C562&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 992px) 100vw, 992px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Denouncing World Vision&#8217;s decision to allow people who are in a legal same-sex marriage to be employed at the nonprofit organization, George Wood, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God, said in a statement shared with The Christian Post on Tuesday that, &#8220;On behalf of the General Council of the Assemblies of God, I am writing to express disappointment with the recent policy change of the U.S. branch of World Vision permitting its employees to enter legally valid same-sex marriages.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>But in 2016 Victory Church of Lakeland donates over $50,000 to World Vision<\/strong> (<a href=\"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/2021\/01\/28\/victory-church-lakeland-do-they-support-human-trafficking\/\">click here<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Israeli police&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.christianpost.com\/news\/world-vision-shuts-down-gaza-office-after-employee-indicted-for-redirecting-millions-to-hamas.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">arrested<\/a>&nbsp;World Vision Gaza manager Mohammad El Halabi in 2016 for providing support to the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas. Israel said El Halabi had infiltrated World Vision to funnel tens of millions of dollars to Hamas using fake charity projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1110px) 100vw, 1110px\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/hamas.jpg?resize=265%2C166&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8548\" width=\"265\" height=\"166\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/hamas.jpg?resize=1024%2C641&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/hamas.jpg?resize=300%2C188&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/hamas.jpg?resize=768%2C480&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/hamas.jpg?resize=1536%2C961&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/hamas.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Dec 2020 article, \u201cSenate committee report: World Vision failed to vet group that funded terrorists.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">World Vision should have known that the Islamic group it funded and worked with in Sudan was dedicated to funding terrorism, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee said in a new report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBased on the evidence presented, we conclude that World Vision had access to the appropriate public information and should have known how, but failed to, properly vet ISRA as a subgrantee, resulting in the transfer of U.S. taxpayer dollars to an organization with an extensive history of supporting terrorist organizations and terrorists, including Osama Bin Laden,&#8221; the Dec. 23 report&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.finance.senate.gov\/imo\/media\/doc\/Oversight,%2012-23-20,%20Memo%20on%20World%20Vision%20Investigation.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reads<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/osama-bin-laden_650x400_51509598968.jpg?resize=293%2C180&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8549\" width=\"293\" height=\"180\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/osama-bin-laden_650x400_51509598968.jpg?w=650&amp;ssl=1 650w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/osama-bin-laden_650x400_51509598968.jpg?resize=300%2C185&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 293px) 100vw, 293px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWorld Vision\u2019s system for vetting prospective sub-grantees was borderline negligent and ignored elementary level investigative procedures, such as failing to conduct basic secondary research.&#8221;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">World Vision told Congress it had checked OFAC\u2019s database of sanctioned groups, which lists ISRA and mentions that all of its offices worldwide are sanctioned. However, World Vision started working with the group anyway, dismissing the findings because OFAC\u2019s list of sanctioned groups says ISRA\u2019s offices are in Missouri, not Sudan. The Senate probe showed that the OFAC listing states that ISRA is headquartered in Khartoum, Sudan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">World Vision has a charity rating of four stars on website&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.charitynavigator.org\/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&amp;orgid=4768\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Charity Navigator<\/a>&nbsp;and a total revenue of over $1 billion a year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A church is a business and the pastors are their officers of that business. What did they know? When did they know it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Dan-McBride.jpg?resize=300%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"8543\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Dan-McBride.jpg\" data-link=\"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/2021\/01\/28\/victory-church-lakeland-do-they-support-human-trafficking\/dan-mcbride\/\" class=\"wp-image-8543\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Dan-McBride.jpg?w=300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Dan-McBride.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Dan-McBride.jpg?resize=250%2C250&amp;ssl=1 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Executive Pastor, Dan McBride<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Pastor-Blackburn.jpg?resize=300%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"8544\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Pastor-Blackburn.jpg\" data-link=\"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/2021\/01\/28\/victory-church-lakeland-do-they-support-human-trafficking\/pastor-blackburn\/\" class=\"wp-image-8544\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Pastor-Blackburn.jpg?w=300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Pastor-Blackburn.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Pastor-Blackburn.jpg?resize=250%2C250&amp;ssl=1 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Senior Pastor M. Wayne Blackburn<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Editorial \u2013 Lakeland Gazette In 2014 The Assemblies of God issued a statement encouraging its churches and individual members to gradually shift support away from the U.S. branch of World&hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8510,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"0","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"wpai_generated_summary":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"dois","default_image_id":71799,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8546","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editorial"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8546","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8546"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8546\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8510"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8546"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8546"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8546"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}